This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
STEERING: I stopped in my daughter yard and was unloading a 16ft trailer of hay and everything was working normally. When I got back in cranked the engine I started pulling forward, I did not have any power steering at all. I first thought the steering wheel had locked but I really had to power down on the steering to get it to turn. No noise, no indication, no problems of any kind with the steering or anything wrong while driving just a few minutes before. The power steering just stopped working period. I told my daughter we were lucky this hadn't happened on the road while pulling the loaded trailer. This could have been very dangerous or deadly if it had gone out while we were pulling the loaded trailer while on the road. If we had been going around a curve or making a turn and it had happened like it did in the yard while parked with NO indication of a problem it would have been very, very bad especially again with NO indications of a problem with the steering and pulling a trailer loaded with hay. I shudder to think what could have happened if we had been going around a curve at 55mph on the highway and this had happened. Power steering fluid pump up to the full line on the check stick when I pulled it out of the power steering pump. I have had the Avalanche for 3 years and have never had to add fluid nor does it have leak anywhere. Again, NO steering problems whatsoever before this.
Engine stall with loss of steering and brakes when turning from tower oaks St onto jones road, a busy 4 lane road. Car stopped in oncoming lane on jones road, just avoiding a head on collision. Crankshaft sensor failure. Had car towed to dealer who infomed me that there was no recall on the crankshaft sensor of the chevrolete Avalanche paid dealer $540. For cransshaft sensor replacement. Have not had a stalling problem sence replacing the cranshaft sensor. This is a very dangerous situation and can cause severe accidents as the loss of steering and brakes is critical.
The vehicles governor shut the vehicle off at 97mph while going around a corner which made the steering wheel lock up and made the brakes not work. Two people where life flighted to hospitals with various injuries... no air bags deployed at all... the first impact in the accident was to the side of the vehicle. Injuries sustained included multiple fractures of the spine of the driver from being ejected almost 40 feet passed where the truck had come to a rest. The debris path was over 150 ft. Long and the truck left the road because it could not turn then struck a stop sign and totally uprooted the stop sign including the cement cinder block under the ground which sent the truck in a death roll. Then the truck continued forward into a utility poles guide wire which dropped the pole on top of the truck as well as the wires. Then continued forward some more in which it came to a rest against a cedar tree.
While driving thru a parking lot after picking up my lunch, the food began to fall which I took my eyes off driving to catch it. When I looked up I saw light pole in front of me and when I pushed my brakes, it felt like the pedal went straight to the floor. Its like I pushed so hard I overpowered the system. When I backed away from the pole the brakes felt fine. I hit the pole which in turn caused cosmetic damage along with breaking the steering box because the tire hit the cement base. Also we found the brake fluid level sensor had broken at the fluid reservoir.
- Laingsburg, MI, USA
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At 95,000 miles, transmission exploded, replaced. 1 year later, brake line exploded, lost all brake fluid, all 4 brake lines replaced as they were not made of stainless steel and had rusted. 6 months later, differential bearings all worn, affecting steering, differential and related parts all replaced. All explosions took place while driving on local roads, not on the highway, thank god! mechanic (friend of mine) says he never saw any car with as many bad parts as my Avalanche! I also thank god I bought it used. American engineered cars have such bad engineering design that I never buy them new.
The first time this happened I was going home from work on the freeway. I was going 65 mph and my engine died I had no power steering and the brake pedal was very hard to push. I was able to put my truck in neutral and restart it. The second time the engine died I was sitting at a red light and it shut off. The third time it happened I was going home from work, just got off the freeway and stopped at the red light. When the light turned green I made a left and was going to the next light to make a right and the engine died. I tried to put the brakes on, but they were very tight and I had no power steering. I had to fight to turn the wheel and just made the turn without hitting the other traffic.
I had an accident on the hwy in Georgia, the steering was hard to control/lock, the tire sled, was rust and corrode on structure, brake area, wheel area, frame, tire broke off, almost flipped and was hit from the back, and twice in the front after slamming into a cement divider and the air bags didn't deploy at all, I injured my left side, neck, back, and hip. Blessed that my pregnant daughter in her 8th month wasn't in the truck with me. I had done multiple repairs on the fuel tank, tire rod, knock sensor, ABS brakes, running board, brakes, rotors, etc, and was told that the rust on the frame won't effect the trucks performance and it was safe to drive because everything is attached to the frame good. I almost lost my life and two of us got injured. If these trucks are having and been having these issues- why do they just pull all of them and give people other options.
02' Chevy Avalanche 60K miles, I purchased this truck in Nov.2010 it is Jan. 2011 not more then 45 days after purchase, the steering is progressively getting worse, grinding noise, turning noise, unbearable to drive and dangerous to drive. Contacted dealer to correct, dealer has not confirmed what will be done yet? this is not normal wear and tear type of issue, factory recall type of issue.
The vehicle is a 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche. 1]the intermediate steering shaft has gone bad twice in 61,000 miles, dealer refuses to fix. This could cause the U-joint in the steering shaft to fracture on rough roads. 2] the ABS brake system has intermittent failure problems, this could cause a loss of brakes at slower speeds and cause an accident.
Mexican assembly factory failure. There was a major failure of the rear axles and parking brake system. The rear axles had grooves worn in them and the rear bearing failed. The consumer requested reimbursement. The parking brake remained inoperative. When the parking brake was released, the acceleration would hang up and a pop would be heard in the rear, there was a rattle behind the steering wheel, and the axle seals leaked.
Traveling at 65 mph passing another car switched land and rearend went out. Did 360 degree and hit the side on high way. Air bag did not deploy. It did $9000 in damage to the front end. Steering feels like its hitting another metal dealer has to grease the steering shaft every 25,000 miles factory defect but I have to pay for it after warranty ran out. Applying brake when making a turn if truck goes over a road hole or bump in the road anti-lock brake does not work and loose control of the truck. Suspension is not good.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Amory, MS, USA